For some people, though, it’s biologically impossible to distrust others. People with the rare genetic disorder Williams Syndrome suffer from an imbalance of oxytocin, a hormone that the brain generates after perceiving a non-threatening situation. Although the story focused primarily on children’s trust in strangers and society’s trust in the government, it inspired the question of how we perceive the trustworthiness of desirable strangers. When we date someone new, how do we gauge their trustworthiness? RELATED: 15 Definitive Signs You’re With A Good Man (As Written By One) How do we even know that our “trust radar” is functioning properly? Unfortunately, we often come to question a partner’s trustworthiness after a relationship where trust was broken. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent that from happening again — without becoming a total neurotic. Before you consider putting your heart on the line… RELATED: 6 Sweet Signs You’re Already In The Right Relationship
Here are the seven questions to ask yourself before you decide a man is trustworthy:
1. How long have I known this person?
If you’re having trouble trusting the guy you’ve known for five years, but only recently have started to date, ask yourself why. Conversely, if you don’t fully trust the guy you really like, but met only a month ago, you probably have a healthy balance of openness and discernment.
2. How do I know this person?
Someone you met through a friend may be more trustworthy than a stranger you met at a club two weekends prior. RELATED: Zodiac Signs Who Are Honest And Trustworthy, Ranked From Most To Least
3. Do I know this person’s relationship track record?
What kind of women does he typically date? Why and how did his last relationship end?
4. How much does he open up during conversations?
Sure, there are guys out there who LOVE talking about themselves, but a guy who refuses to talk about his life or his feelings reveals something he’s compelled to hide — be in a secret wife and family, or more likely, a shy personality or his own dose of trust issues. RELATED: If He Does These 10 Chivalrous Acts, He’s A True, Bonafide Gentleman
5. How does he conduct himself online?
Is his online persona in line with his offline persona?
6. How well does this person keep in touch?
If you’re dating exclusively, do you feel he maintains adequate contact with you? Does he respond to texts in a timely fashion? Does he tell you his plans? RELATED: 3 Powerful Psychological Tricks To Make Someone Trust And Respect You
7. Has this person been open with me in his expectations for the relationship?
Keep in mind that untrustworthy partners don’t always have the intention to toy with your heart. Oftentimes, they just don’t know what they want. Either way, don’t let yourself be strung along while they try to make up their minds. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. While there are general guidelines for trustworthiness, every relationship is different, and it really boils down to what you have trouble trusting in and what you don’t. On the flip side, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you know your partner’s specific points of trust and distrust so that you can be sure to honor them the way you’d like your own insecure tendencies to be respected. RELATED: 3 Critical Traits Of A Trustworthy Man Denise Ngo is a freelance writer and editor specializing in pop culture, science, and relationships. She has been published in PopSci, Salon, HuffPost, and more.
